Bangladesh report back for duty

After a month's break from cricket, the Bangladesh team have returned to training after reporting for duty at a preliminary camp at the Army Stadium in Dhaka, ahead of the tour of Kenya and Zimbabwe in July-August. Dav Whatmore and his training staff will concentrate on physical conditioning during the first few weeks of the camp, as Bangladesh prepares for a gruelling international one-day season leading up to the World Cup.

Of the 19 players selected, 16 joined the first day's training. Missing were Mohammad Ashraful, who is playing club cricket in England; the rookie allrounder Sakib al-Hasan, who is in Brisbane for a stint at the Commonwealth Bank Academy, and Mushfiqur Rahim, who is sitting for the HSC exam.

"The boys looked in good shape despite coming off a break," said the assistant coach, Mohammad Salahuddin. "I believe they must have worked on their individual fitness over the last month or so. They were also in great spirits, something that has just carried over from the home series against Sri Lanka, Kenya and Australia."

The squad expects to welcome their new trainer, Paul Chapman, in a week's time. He comes in as a replacement for Stuart Karpinnen. The squad is expected to leave for Kenya on July 15 to play three ODIs on July 19, 21 and 23. There could be adjustments made to that schedule depending on the final itinerary of the Zimbabwe tour which has not yet been announced. That tour starts immediately after the Kenyan trip, and Bangladesh are due to play five ODIs.

For the time being, however, there is another World Cup capturing the attentions of the Bangladesh players. "I feel Germany and England have a better chance because of the weather and conditions," said Mohammad Rafique of the football variety, which kicks off in a week's time. Habibul Bashar, however, disagreed and brushed aside England's chances.

"The Premiership depends on foreign players," said Bashar, "because the English footballers are not up to the mark." He added that he fancied Portugal's prospects because of Luis Figo and their Brazilian coach Luis Felipe Scolari. Mashrafee Mortaza and Javed Omar meanwhile were convinced that Argentina had all the ammunition to lift the Cup but their voices soon got buried under the collective noise of the Brazil fanatics.